


Hey, Partner

by annitine



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-03-07 20:37:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18880795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annitine/pseuds/annitine
Summary: Louis, popular drama club rich boy has been crazy for weeks on why Aasim doesn't care for him, it's driving him crazy, madly, deeply...





	1. Chapter 1

Aasim, who sits two seats up from Louis blatantly ignores a paper airplane which was obviously meant to grab his attention, he keeps copying the notes the teacher has up on the board in perfect handwriting, even better than the teachers.  
Louis giggles and slumps back in his seat, takes a pencil in his hand and begins flipping it around between his fingers, totally sounding out explanations from the teacher. He cranes his neck in a circle, he’s ready for lunch, then history, biology, and finally home.  
This class is almost over, it feels like it’s gone on forever for both Louis and Aasim. Today feels strange, and drab, even with the sunny spring weather.  
After looking over all his notes Aasim turns behind him to see Louis with a gaze through the window and scoffs ‘How did he even get in here’ he grumbles, flipping his notepad closed and crossing his hands over it as his eyes take back to the desk, where the teacher stands talking about the homework due in two days  
Aasim finished it and turned it in already, the teacher loved it, as usual.

The bell rings and everyone rushes to grab their bags, binders and folders, hungry and excited  
Why does today feel so… ugly? Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He sighs and slowly packs his things to join the crowd into the hallways to the cafeteria

 

Louis, script and tray in hand sits down at him and his friends table, made up of mainly kids that are in his drama club, Clementine, a newer friend being that she just recently joined the drama club, but she was pretty good at acting, Louis was always impressed. She smiled as a blonde girl put her arm around her shoulder and took a bite of her burger, her name is Violet. Who doesn’t talk much on her own, but when she does it’s gentle and a bit sarcastic. Marlon, who doesn’t do theatre but him and Louis have been friends for decades it felt. At the table also sits Onalee and Ruby, two short red haired girls, everyone mistakes them for each other… including Louis.  
Louis shoves a spoonful of mac n cheese in his mouth and sits up in his chair, pressing his papers in his hand against the table trying to even them out. He wistfully stands up, licks his lips before licking his thumb and begins reading, nose in the air and loud enough for nearly every table to hear, including Aasims.  
“To be! Or not to be! That is the question!”  
“Why are we even working on hamlet?” Ruby pipes  
“Why don’t we make our own script, our own play?” the other red head says, shoving her papers into the center of the table and looking up to Louis  
Louis looks around for Aasims table, completely ignoring the girls comments  
He finds it and his ears perk up, as he catches Aasim staring at him with a frown on his face and his eyes return to his friends. Louis feels a grin on his face become smugger as the seconds go by  
He was totally watching, totally had all his attention on him. He always makes his jokes in class and performed scenes from his recent plays during lunch, which never failed to put eyes on him, so he gets a kick out of catching Aasim watching from time to time, but he always shrugs and does this massive eye roll when he looks away

 

Clementine interrupts Louis’s thoughts, “Hey, did you hear them? That’s not a bad idea.” Louis’ mouth turns to an ‘o’ before his smile returns and his eyes glimmer  
“Yeah we could do that! I actually have a few ideas.” He shoots  
Romance, like Romeo and Juliette, it may take a while to script, but it’ll be a fun time, they could try new props, new backdrops, unique characters and plots!  
Maybe if it’s self-produced, it will impress him, and Aasim will pay attention.  
He’s used to a smile, a “Hello Louis! How are you” from his peers. He was used to everyone fighting to be his partner, used to houseparties filled with people that adored him  
He didn’t really want that from Aasim though. He wanted to talk to him. He didn’t know why, but Aasim couldn’t stand him, and he wanted more than a sigh and dramatic eye roll every time he walks into the room. He wanted his full attention. He wanted him to look at him and do that little thing he does with his lips when he’s focused, he’s caught him doing that quite a few times, and needless to say he finds it adorable.  
Louis sits down smile still glued to his face

  
“I’m starting to think he really hates you.” Marlon chews and sits up in his seat, grabbing for is phone and scrolling  
“Hate is a *very* strong word” Louis crosses his arms and takes another glance over at Aasim before looking right back at Marlon who looks back and raises an eyebrow silently before returning to his phone  
“Listen, I know I’m annoying sometimes-“  
“Sometimes?” Violet snickers  
“Sometimes!” “But that doesn’t mean he hates me” Louis squints in Marlon’s direction  
“I don’t think he’s got any interest in you. At all” Clementine hums, looking over a few pieces Violet was showing her  
“You don’t know that, you don’t talk to him.”  
“Why don’t you?”  
“He… ignores me”  
The tables heads peak up and start laughing together  
“There’s nothing funny about that” Louis hunches over and finishes the food left at his tray, gloomy, like a rain cloud was strung solely over him  
Ruby pats his back, holding back her giggles “I’m sure he doesn’t hate you, he thinks you’re annoying just as we do!”  
The rain gets heavier  
“You’ve been obsessing over the poor guy for weeks.” Marlon takes a snap out of his chips and puts his phone down, chin resting on his hand  
“I don’t obsess over anyone.” Louis sits up and puffs his chest out, knowing Marlon is right  
“If you say so Lou.” He sings back

  
The bell goes off again, signaling lunch is over. Louis picks up the scripts tossed on the table and shoves them in a binder.  
People are rushing back to class but he spots Aasim waiting as his table and decides to take a second himself.  
He can’t help that big smile that smears across his face while looking at him  
‘Not obsessed, just curious, why doesn’t he like me? Why *does* it kinda seem like he hates me?’ Louis tried combating Marlon’s previous statements.  
Aasim finally gets up to toss his trash away and Louis gracefully leaves his seat, trying to not make it look like he was waiting for him.. Which he wasn’t. At all. They meet at the trash bin and Louis takes this to say “How was the little performance today? We’re gonna scrap it and make our own play.” He says, fixing his jacket and winking at the tanned boy. He scoffs at him and rolls his eyes with a slight smile on his face  
“Good for you.”

  
Louis watches as he walks away and smiles himself. Fixes his jacket once again and walks off to his next class.

Aasim has a break from Louis’ bullshit, for one class, which is better than none. 45 minutes of near perfect peace, before he joins him again for biology.  
This class always seems even slower. Maybe it’s because the lack of frivolous idiotic energy that usually takes over the whole room. He doesn’t particularly mind the slower pace. It’s almost therapeutic, but Aasim finds it strange he still thinks about Louis when he’s not around. Quite often actually, but it doesn’t mean anything, cause the thoughts are always about how irritating he is. That makes sense right?

The final bell goes off and it’s time Aasim prepares himself for the end of the day, as usual he sits back for a bit and waits for everyone to flood out of the door before. He stands up, rolling his shoulders before slinging his bag around one side. There’s supposed to be a project coming up and it’s for a group, he has quite a few friends in his biology class. Shouldn’t be a big deal, although Aasim prefers to work alone, even if he works with friends.

 

He enters biology class, Louis is already there, slouched back in his seat with that stupid smuggy face. He can’t stand it worth anything. He places himself at his desk, only one spot up from Louis’, which has always given him the chance to mess with him even more than previous classes, from cheeky whispers in his ear while the teachers are presenting, to throwing messily written, lumpy notes over his shoulder, which Aasim immediately throws away or tucks in his bag to keep from getting in trouble.

 

Aasim gets a tap on his shoulder and ignores it at first, then he starts getting the notes while the teachers back is turned. He actually uncrumbles the note  
“Do you hate me :(“ Aasim giggled at the message, at the bottom there were options to check a box for yes and no, Aasim lifted his pen and made his own square next to the others, titled “Youre irritating” at the top and handed it back to the boy, who was sadly slumped down all the way in his seat upon hearing the giggle but now looking like he just saw an angel after being actually returned the note. His face was a Christmas tree as he uncrumbled it for himself and read the reply  
He sat up in his seat, shrugged his jacket and smiled brightly at the boy in front of him  
Aasim always thought he looked strange doing that, but he guessed it was no different than his own physical quirks. His eyes quickly see the board as the teacher starts announcing the new project, and telling the class the rules of the project: each group will be given a chemical reaction and you have to show an example through something similar to real life.  
“And I will be assigning the groups” the teacher announced picking up a small pile of papers that assumedly had student’s names on them  
Louis’ heart started racing and Aasim looked as calm and slightly aggravated as ever. Louis thought this could be the chance he gets, if the teacher allowed it, him and Aasim could be partners, he would have to talk to him, give him his attention.  
The teacher starts calling out names in pairs, they go down the line and Louis is almost completely spaced out before he hears his own name

  
“You’re being paired with Aasim.”  
He almost shouts in excitement, pure joy. He’s so obvious.  
Aasim shakes his head and walks up to take the paper that also has the chemical reaction they must present.  
“Baking soda and vinegar”  
Classic and easy. This won’t be a nightmare, Aasim makes his way over to Louis who is shunning the sun with how happy he looks.  
“Hey partner!” he says, fixing his jacket  
“Hey. Baking soda and vinegar” Aasim says, deadpan  
“So, volcano?” Very classic, very teen movie, but in case Aasim doesn’t like the idea Louis has already thought up a list of other things that they could work on, like show casing it’s gas production but Aasim nods his head  
“Yeah, we can make a volcano. Where do you want to work? We could always stay in the la-“  
“My place! It’s comfy and has everything we could need for sure!”  
Alright, drama kids place.

  
“That’ll work.”  
Louis flashes a smile at Aasim and shoves his phone to him  
“Will you take my number? I’ll text you my address and you can let me know when we start!”  
Why was he so happy? Was he just going to mooch and sit around while Aasim does the hard work?  
He takes the phone out of the shining boys hand and puts his number in before handing his own phone for Louis to put his own number in.  
“Alright, I’ll let you know when I’m free”  
Aasim says knowing he’s free practically all the time, besides the time he takes studying, and writing he knows he’s not bombarded with people like Louis is  
Was he trying to act cool? Aasim caught himself staring for a little longer than needed and when he realized Louis’ hands were at his jacket again  
Aasim sighed  
This is gonna be a long week


	2. Work Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis and Aasim begin to work on their project, Aasim finds that they share a great interest, as well as some awkwardness

Aasim looks down at his phone, checking the address Louis gave to him  
‘This is it’  
it’s a large, tutor house. the grass is so green it looks fake. there’s small shrubs that frame the concrete walk ways leading up to the front door. A black framed glass door but the glass is blurred so the inside of the house can’t be seen. there’s a small rectangular doorbell that Aasim glances at before his phone again  
Should he text him first? Should he just ring the doorbell?  
He closes his eyes and shakes his head before biting the bullet and pushing his finger into the doorbell.  
The sound that goes off is charming,  
A familiar tune Aasim can’t put his finger on  
An older man, presumably Louis’ father, opens the door with soft eyes to match the smile on his face  
“Ah, hello”.  
He turns towards the stairs  
“Louis, your friend is here”

There’s the sound of shuffling before feet rushing down the staircase, and Louis slides in next to his dad.  
“Hey! I have things set up in my room.”  
Louis grabs Aasim’s hand and leads him upstairs  
That wasn’t nearly as awkward as Aasim thought it would be, from what he saw the house was.. cozy. Inviting, and warm colors for the all the walls, and slick deep brown woods on the floor. Up the stairs was the same woods and the corridor for the rooms was a dull purple, and then there was Louis’ room.  
Forest green, he had posters of musicals covering the walls above his bed, singing in the rain, west side story, grease, you name it, it’s on that wall. He also had a keyboard, it looked lightly used, Aasim gazed at it for a while, he never tried instruments himself, but he did love the sound of a piano.  
Louis looks down at the hand he was still holding, and blushed, finally letting go and his eyes scattered, figuring out what Aasim what looking at.  
“Oh this?”  
He walks by it, dragging his fingers along the keys.  
“This isn’t a lot. I have a grand piano in the study. Do you like piano too? Do you wanna see it?”  
Aasim looks back at Louis and shakes his head  
“No, let’s start on the project”  
Louis frowns, he hoped to have some fun while he was here.  
“Hm. Okay! You can put your bag down there.”  
He points to a corner next to his desk, which has his own bag slanted against the leg of the desk and Aasim follows his gesture, putting his bag next to his  
“Well. How do you wanna make this volcano? Paper mache, a dough, plastic-“  
“Paper mache can work”  
“Perfect, I’ll grab up everything.”  
Louis begins to walk out of the door way before Aasim stops him  
“Do you want some help?”  
Louis nods with a smile and the two make their way down to the stairs and into the kitchen 

Should kitchens even be this big? Are there 20 people living here?  
Aasim’s eyes scan all over, the brown cabinets, the marble white countertops and island, it all looks beautiful  
He didn’t expect any less, but damn.  
“We’ll need chicken wire too, it’s in that longer cabinet on the left side” Louis says, on his toes grabbing a bowl and some flour  
Aasim looks around until he spots the longer cabinet and opens it up to find clutter looking items, but also the chicken wire. He leans up and grabs it out and places it onto the counter

“Newspaper is in the study, cmon!” Louis leads him to the door and flashes a sweet, closed eyed smile before opening the door like he’s opening the door to the Louvre. There sits the massive deep autumn leaf mahogany piano right in the middle, by all the bookcases to match, and old mail with newspapers that sit on a separate desk.  
Louis takes a seat on the piano chair while Aasim steps through the doorway, and shuts the door behind him, looking around for what they came in for, he reaches for the large pile of worn papers  
“Do you wanna hear a song? How about Clair de Lune.” Louis hums as his fingers tread on the keys, playing a tune that sounded just wonderful  
Aasim felt himself physically relax a little with the music. Louis was swaying with the song, very in tune and quite calm, eyes closed and very focused. Quite unusual to see.  
He looked.. good, not being so obnoxious.  
Aasim sways along himself with a small smile on his face.  
Though Aasim never had an instrument, at some moments he wished he did. He loved writing lyrics, he loved writing in general but music always set off this spark in him. It took sounds like this to really make his words come alive. It seemed magical. He knew it was too dreamy and stupid, that he could never actually pursue something like music. His mom wanted differently for him. Examples for him being a doctor, possibly a surgeon, or a business man, oh she always talked about how he would be a great business man. But that wasn’t ever what he wanted. He stayed at the top of his class anyways, in hopes to graduate early, move out, and be under his own roof with his own rules, finally able to write lyrics and make music. 

It was a little impressive how Louis played made him feel.

Louis ended the song and sighed at the keys, before looking back at Aasim who seemed to be in his own world.  
He waited a minute, studying Aasim and wondering what he could possibly be thinking about, until he decided to open his mouth  
“How’d you like it?” pulled Aasim back to the ground and Aasim blinked at the boy, who was very still, eyebrows raised with his lips slightly apart  
“It was actually really.. pretty. That’s a sweet song. What was it?”  
“Debussy’s Clair de Lune! I recently learned it.” Louis grinned  
Was he always this smiley?  
“Yeah.. I’ll remember that.” Aasim looks around for anything else, completely back on earth and now thinking of their project.  
“You think this will be enough?” He says holding up the pile of newpapers in his arms  
“Lets hope so!” Louis says  
“Any requests before we get back to work?”  
“Maybe later” Aasim gives a smile before walking towards the door

Louis gets up a little too fast in order to open the door for him, being that his hands are full, and he’s such a gentleman.  
In the kitchen he fills up the bowl he left out before with warm water, and Aasim reaches for the chicken wire left by the cabinet he got it out from earlier, putting it on the pile of papers and lifting them back in his arms again.  
“That’s everything?” He asks  
“That’s everything!” Louis responds, grabbing the bag of flour and heading up the stairs back into his room  
They place everything on the floor and sit down beside the large board, that already had some baking soda, a naked toilet roll, scissors, paper towels, some huge spoons and a bottle of vinegar on it.

He seemed pretty prepared.  
“I’ll shape this up and you get that paste going” Louis says leaning over for the clump of chicken wire  
“Okay, got it.”  
Aasim dumps flour in the bowl of water, a little a time, using one of the spoons, which were way too big for what they were doing, to mix the two together  
After Aasim gets the paste to the right consistency, he notices Louis is messing around a bit trying to make some sort of shape with his wire, he stays quiet and Louis looks up with a very distorted heart in his hands and pushes it towards Aasim, who looks beyond confused, not really sure what Louis is trying to do… or say  
“What is that supposed to be?”  
“It’s… uh. A heart?” Louis says with a small silly grin, taking one of his hands off the wire to play with one of his dreads.  
“Thank you… I think?”  
Aasim takes the.. heart and starts to shape it himself, into a star. Once he finishes he hands it back to Louis, who looks like his mind was just blown  
“For me??” his head tilted, and his eyes wide  
He almost looks like a..  
“Puppy… cute” Aasim mumbles  
“What?”  
“What.” Aasim looks at Louis, whos head is tilted even further  
“Where’s that cone at?” Aasim redirects conversation  
Louis looks down at his star and pauses before silently reshaping the wire once again  
Why did he say that? What does that mean? Puppy????? Cute??? Louis thought he might be going crazy.  
Maybe he just imagined it- no, he even knows what he said.  
Louis didn’t know what to do, or say. Maybe he shouldn’t say anything at all? He’ll let it go for now.  
He just knows it made his heart race.

He finishes the cone-ish thing and sets it around the toilet paper roll, making a hole through the top  
Him and Aasim start taking turns  
Drenching paper in the paste, sticking it against the wire, over and over again until they’re out of newspaper  
“I want it to be bigger.” Louis crosses his arms as his lips form a pout  
“Bigger? How big to you want this?” it felt like they’ve been mache-ing the paper for hours.  
“Massive. Huge.”  
“Ugh.” Aasim huffs  
“Were gonna need way more paper then.”  
“I think I have a few ideas” Louis mouth forms an almost worrying cheeky grin  
“Like?”  
“We can finish this another day! You’ll find out then. I’ll call you” Louis takes the board with all the supplies and places it on his desk.  
“I can tell you’re tired. Do you wanna go home? My dad can take you”  
“I’m.. I’m fine. I can walk.”  
“Are you sure? Are you far from here?”  
“No not at all, I’ll be fine thank you.” Aasim says picking up his bag and slinging it over it shoulder.  
“Thanks for coming over to work with me” Louis says as they’re walking down the stairs to the entry way of the house  
“What was I going to do? Not do the project?”  
“I dunno…” Louis bites his lip as he opens the door and Aasim walks through  
“Thank you for having me” he says, waving Louis goodbye  
“Yeah! No problem.” He flattens his shirt before closing the door, sending Aasim off

As Aasim makes his way out of the yard he thinks about what happened. He didn’t mean to say that. At least not out loud. Did he really make a damn star out of chicken wire… and hand it too him? Well it happened. And he hopes it doesn’t next time.


	3. Trick Or Treat!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's date time baby!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi I know it's been months ! I'm sorry! I wrote two sections a month apart from eachother but I hope u all love it anyways mwah

Louis’ school days have been bright, since the ‘discussion’ at lunch, the plan of the club making their own play has been setting in motion, basic characters and somewhat of a plot was formed through the last couple days. “Extras? Should we ask around?” Ruby sets her pen down on the ground of the stage “Maybe. Lets see where we end up with this story.” Louis paces around, thinking of possible twists, how to make this plot more defined, interesting.

His phone buzzes on the small table they’ve all set their phones and bags on and against, along with props they’ve been fiddling with for about an hour.

Aasim,

Today at 15:37

 **Aasim:** Finishing the volcano today?

 

Louis smiles faintly at his screen before picking up his phone

 **Louis:** Yeah, Give me 20. Meeting ending soon

 **Aasim:** *thumbs up*

 

Clementine walks over to the small table and puts away some sheet paper and a bat she brought to play with, shoving it into her bookbag with the end sticking out

“Lee wants me home, apparently a few of the workers back at shop left early.”

“We can end here then, yeah?” Ruby picks herself from the floor and brings her and her pencil by the table as well

“Yeah, we’ll have tomorrow!” Louis replies

He starts packing up his own things before sending everyone off and leaving school

Pops, today at 15:43

 **Pops:** running late from work.

 **Louis:** Alright, I’ll hitch a ride

 

Louis slouches and walks towards the football field, hoping to see Marlon. When he does he’s tossing his football up into the hair while making his way to his bag on the bench, right in front of the bleachers, he walks over slowly and quietly.

“Boo.” He pokes Marlon’s back and he yelps in shock

“Dude?? What the hell” Marlon stands up and crosses his arms around his chest while Louis giggles, hand on his stomach

“You should’ve just seen your face! I can’t believe you didn’t hear me!” He jests between breaths

“Whew” Louis continues, wiping a fake tear from his eye as Marlon glares him down

“Cmon, it wasn’t that bad! I’m glad I caught you though”

“Yeah?” Marlon loosens himself, grabbing for his bag and slinging it across his chest

“Yeah, dad’s running late. Mind letting me ride?” Louis tilts his head with a smile, making sure he says yes  
“Why don’t you drive?”

Louis pouts at him “Dad won’t let me!”

“You failed the test didn’t you?” Marlon snarks

“Maybe…”

“Alright, come on.” Marlon says as he starts walking towards the parking lot with Louis following

 

Marlon dumps his things in his trunk and unlocks the doors with an alarmingly loud “BEEP”

“Dude. Was it always that loud?” Louis places his bag at the foot of the passenger seat before hopping in  
“Yep” Marlon replies as he closes his own door and starts the car, shifting his gear before saying

“So, what’s the plan with you and hardhead?”

“Hardhead? That’s a little mean.” Louis takes his phone out

Aasim, today at 16:02

 **Louis:** Are you on your way?

“I’m just saying, he seems a little uptight.” Marlon takes a look in his mirrors

“He’s not! Just… quiet.”

 **Aasim:** I’m close, are you there?

 **Louis:** I’m close too, something we have in common!

 **Aasim:** Just get here

“Buuut. The plan today is to finish the science project.”

“Huh? You got partnered with him?”

“Yeah! I guess I just forgot to tell you.”

“Too excited for your heart to handle~” Marlon teases

“Whatever. We’re gonna snag newspaper from the kid that comes around, hit up the stores maybe. I wanna take him to eat if I’m lucky.” Louis watches from his window as the scenery goes by, quiet fast. Marlon isn’t exactly the safest driver

“Sounds like a plan. I bet you can make it work”

“I hope s- Wait Marlon? What is that?”

“Hm? Marlon squints his eyes

“Hey! Slow down!!”

Marlon spots a brown lanky blob in the road and jams his breaks, jerking him and Louis at the front of the car

“Fuck.”

“Did you hit it? What is it?”

“A dear. I don’t think so” He peels off his breaks and moves forward

“Are you gonna leave it?”

“We didn’t roll anything over did we? We’re fine”

“Marlon…” Louis on edge of his seat rolls down his windows to look back for the animal

“I think it ran off. I hope” he sighs tapping his feet on the bottom of the car

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Sometimes I wonder how you got your license before me” Louis scoffs

“I know how to drive alright. Just a little faster than everyone else”

“Yeah, 100 mph faster”

“But here you are, safe and sound.” Marlon says pulling into the driveway of Louis’ house, and sees Aasim tapping away on his phone on a wicker brown porch chair

“Thanks, Marlon.”

“Of course, Lou.” Marlon says with a smile. He sees Aasim stand up from his seat and shoves Louis’ shoulder

“Go get em tiger.”

Louis nods and hops out the car with his bag, waving at Aasim

 

 

“Hey! Sorry I’m a little late. Dad’s working, and meathead almost ran into a deer.” Louis takes his keys out to unlock the door and let’s Aasim inside with a guiding hand

“It’s alright. What’s the plan to finish this thing?” Aasim fixes the bag strap around his shoulder and glances around the house

“Well! The mailboy comes around this time, I figure we wait for him and hit up the stores around here for the dispenser things.” Louis says taking his bag from his shoulders to his hands

“Want me to take that up?” He points to Aasim’s bag, which looked a little heavier today

“Oh.. I can...”

“No! Let me” Louis’ hand brushes Aasim’s shoulder as Aasim helps him in taking it off

Jesus. Did this kid have 3 encyclopedias in here? Louis tried to keep a straight face as Aasim handed it off to him

Aasim sighs as he gives his shoulder a mini massage “Thanks.”

“Mhm!” Louis cheers heading up the stairs to set the bags down in his room

 

 

Louis walks off into the kitchen and grabs a handful of plastic bags

“Your ‘goodie bag’ sir” He says handing a couple to Aasim who lifts an eyebrow before taking them

“We look like were going to go trick or treating.” Aasim says messing with the bags and linking them in his hand

“Hey trick or treating is super fun” Louis skips to the front door and opens it for Aasim

“It’s for kids” He rolls his eyes, walking out of the doorway

“Let’s take back our childhood then!” Louis sings closing and locking the door behind Aasim and himself

 

“Hey! Hey Mail-kid!” Louis starts waving franticly, walking towards the street as the kid on the bike slows down in front of his house

Aasim follows “Do you have extra stacks we could use? We’re working on something”

The mailboy takes off his glasses, his frame a bit… too large for the size of the bike he’s riding. He looks hot, and uncomfortable

“How many?”

Louis looks at Aasim and Aasim returns the gaze

“How many do you need?” The boy repeats sternly

“However many you can give us.” Aasim glaces at the little basket filled with newspapers secured with tan bans and tinted plastic baggies

The boy sighs and tosses a few of the packets into their bags

“Happy Halloween weirdos.” He says putting his glasses back on and going off to fling more off those packets onto driveways of neighboring houses

 

 

“See? We look lame.” Aasim huffs next to Louis, who still, of course is bearing that big stupid smile on his face”

“Okay okay, your torture will be over soon.” Louis sways

“I think it’ll be worth it. The look on the teachers face when he sees how massive this thing will be? It’ll hardly fit on his desk!”

“It’ll make a huge mess” Aasim complains

Whats with this guy and being so reckless, doesn’t he get tired of himself sometimes?

“If you’ll stay to clean it up with me it shouldn’t be that bad.” Louis gazes at Aasim with a warmer smile, his eyebrows perked just a little bit

Aasim nudges him with his shoulder “No, you’ll clean up the WHOLE thing on your own”

They both giggle down the sidewalks until they hit the main plaza, a huge cul-de-sac where all the department stores and shops are.

 

“Jackpot. Look at all these!” Louis hands slam against the glass walls of the news paper dispensers.

“Old timey. But it’s kinda cool to still have these around.” Aasim waves his bag around

“Right?” Louis reaches for his wallet

“You have to pay for these things?” Aasim exclaims

“Well, yeah. They can’t just leave these here, what if people like us wanna make a huge volcano for a school project? Or a paper-mache gun that can actually kill people! Boom boom!” Louis, wallet in hand makes a gun with his fingers, aiming it at the left side of Aasim’s chest, Aasim guides his hand down

“Can’t we just break into the thing?”

Louis gasps

“And break a LAW? How DARE we? The absolute TROUBLE we could get into! You scoundrel…” he teasingly scoffs with a smirk

Aasim pushes his shoulder away and laughs

“Ok, whats your plan on hacking this thing open?” Louis crosses his arms, the charm on his wallet glistening in the afternoon sun

“I.. don’t know.. kick it?”

“Vandalism is bad, Aasim.” Louis giggles

“What’s so funny?” Aasim jerks

“Look at how the tables have turned!”

“Oh shut up.. do you have any smart ideas?”

“I could just.. pay for them”

Aasim scourges in his pockets, looking for any loose change as Louis is already piling quarters into the machine, the machine starts spitting out packs of newspaper

“I got some extra change here!” Aasim shoves his hand over Louis’ and pauses, looking down at both of their hands

‘What in the hell is he doing… checking out my dimes?’ Aasim nudges his hand again, signing for Louis to take the change and looks at him with an eyebrow jerked

“What?” Aasim tilts his head

Louis stays silent, and takes the change out of the other boys hand, but takes his hand under Aasims, wrapping his fingers around it

‘What am I doing. God what Am I Doing. Why can’t I let go’ Louis resists the urge to shake, pop a smile,  laugh this all off, or… rub around his hand with his thumb. His heart hardly going fast, it feels like it’s rocking against his ribcage, but he still wont let go

Aasim started to blush, and breathe heavier, ‘What the hell’ repeating over and over and over again, Louis scarily still. ‘This guy is unbelievable. Grade A-’

 

“Anyone ever told you you have nice hands?” Louis’ chokes back laughter

‘Fucking Dumbass. Why would I say that’

“Cmon, dude!” Aasim jerks his hand away from Louis, who starts laughing as he puts the news paper packets into his bag

Aasim felt his face get even redder as he pressed his hand against it, he groaned and his lips formed a tiny pout

“That was hilarious..” Louis shifted his grip on his bags as he poked Aasims shoulder

 “Whats wrong? You blushing?” he verbally continued to poke while giggling, making Aasim turn away

He had to touch something before he started blushing himself, or laughing a little too loud

“But seriously! What do you use? They’re so soft!” Louis continued giggling, hoping to save his own ass

Aasim stands silent ‘I. he. What the hell???? What was that? Why?’ his heart dropping to his stomach, like when Louis made that heart.. thing and he .. accidentally called him cute. He felt like he was going crazy again.

 

He took another second to breathe before turning back to Louis

“That was gay, dude” He said, trying to ignore his initial reaction

“You’re so right, I’m so sorry bro” Louis tries to hide his smile with a very exaggerated frown

After a smaller walk around the cul-de-sac Louis pipes “You hungry? I can pay you back for being a gaywad”

Aasim shakes his head with a huff and a smile “Fine, only if it’s your treat ‘gaywad’

‘A date??’

‘A Date??’

Their thoughts collide

 

 

 

 

 

“Have you ever been to Ihop?” Louis slings his bag over his shoulder

“Maybe once? I can’t remember eating there.” Aasim lures over the chain restaurants that crowd the western side of the plaza

“Oh… what about Wafflehouse? Dennys??”

“Nah”

“Wh-…” Louis gasps

“Yeah?”

“You’ve NEVER been to WAFFLEHOUSE? Not even at night when you don’t feel like doing school work so you just go up and eat waffles at 3 am?”

“That’s specific.” Aasim moves his questioning gaze to Louis, who begins to pout

“It holds a special place in my heart.” Louis says

“Today, Ihop. Tomorrow, Dennys. He takes out his phone, seemingly to plan this out in a calendar

“Tomorrow, who said you could have me tomorrow?”

‘Bad- Awful choice of words Aasim’ He facepalms internally

“Oh uh…” Louis’ thoughts wonder

“I just assumed that we could- that you’d be free?” Louis takes on that lost.. puppy look again and Aasim holds back a comment, or two

“I mean, I was, I am. I-“

“That’s good then!” Louis interrupts tapping at his phone, and saving the date

That was… weirdly close?

 

 

“This place is so… white, it’s almost perfect looking” Aasim awes, menu in hand

“Exactly how you see it in the commercials right! It’s SO perfect!”

‘Almost as perfect as you.’ Louis shakes his head seemingly stabilize himself, and opens his menu, scans around it with his fingers knowing he’s going to get the same thing he always does, a chocolate and crème crepe with a strawberry milkshake.

“I think I’ll try… just a pancake”

“Not the birthday cake, or chocolate, or banana? Just a plain ol pancake?” Louis peers over his menu as if it’s 5 feet long

“I guess so? Maybe the meal? You know the eggs pancakes and bacon? And a strawberry milkshake?”

“Is strawberry your favorite too?”

“Yeah, when I want something sweet strawberry is my favorite, strawberry ice cream, strawberry milk, all of that stuff” Aasim smiles

“I see! I see! I still think you should get more interesting than that 2 2 2..  what about the uh.. Stuffed French Toast?”

“I don’t know… it seems so sweet.”

“Sweeter than me?” Louis chucks a wink across the table

“Ugh, now my appetite is gone!” Aasim rolls his eyes. Louis quietly pouts in response

‘That damn… he always gets me with that’ Aasim softens up and huffs before saying “You know what, I don’t think it’ll be that bad” just as the waiter walks up

 

 

 

Louis watches their plates get sat down on either side of the table, and Aasim gazes around.. it’s nice seeing him so peaceful, you could take a picture of him but it wouldn’t translate how clear he feels, and what he’s seeing

He takes a sip of his milkshake, that turned into downing a quarter of it, meanwhile Aasim is trying to figure out how to eat his french toast

‘Do I… cut it up or is it finger food maybe?’ He picks it up briefly and realizes it’s a bit too wet to handle, and he starts cutting into it with his knife as Louis giggles

“Do you really have to watch everything I do?” Aasim said jokingly, but a little ticked off

“No! I just catch you in funny moments!” Louis takes a cut out of his own food along with a sip of water

“Have you not ever had french toast before?”

“I haven’t..”

‘He seemed kinda enthusiastic about it.. that and it looked good of course.’

“I’m glad I could pop your french-toast-cherry!” Louis says with full confidence and Aasim almost spits out his food

“Dude! Gross! I’m EATING”

“I had to! You gave me the perfect opportunity!”

“If I knew not trying things would make you say that I’d never try anything new with you” Aasim scowls playfully, but it’s also a little scary

“May I eat in peace?”

“Hm? Peace be upon you~” Louis says with another bite of his crepe, and sip of his milkshake

“That’s not how that- Oh well’ Aasim stuffs his face with the awaiting soaked toast and chews with a smile, socked with the sweetness of course but its just so good!

“Well?” Louis questions

“Pretty… good. Yeah it’s pretty good”

“Orangya glad you got that instead of some plain pancakes?”

“Huh.”

Louis points to a orange juice poster on the other side of the wall

“Do you get any lamer?” Aasim shakes his head and takes a sip of his own shake

“I think you’ll have to figure it out” Louis says as he casually pours whats left of his shake into Aasims cup

“You aren’t gonna drink that?” Aasim tilts his head

“What do you mean?” Louis says sticking his straw into the cup that’s filled to the brim

‘A Date….’

“Oh cmon now, stop messing around!” Aasim places his straw back into the empty cup

“I’m not messing around! Is it really that bad for two bros to share a milkshake?”

“Yes! That’s gross! You’re gonna get me sick!”

“Am Not!” Louis argues sticking the straw back in

“Are too! Keep your grummy germs out of my milkshake!” Aasim says returning the straw again, pressure surfacing to his face

“I’m not that grummy” Louis frowns “Take it back!”

“No! You’re grummy!” Aasim says, chewing on his french toast

“Fine….. I guess I AM grummy…” Louis pouts

‘Here he goes again..’

Aasim tries to sit it out, eating his food and watching as Louis fails to touch his own

It’s quiet for a while

 

 

‘You know what.’

“One day you’re gonna give me a heart attack, Lou.” Aasim stays sticking the straw back in his filled cup with attitude

‘Hey!! That’s me… Lou… Louuuuu Louuuuuuuuu.’ It felt good to hear it in his voice. In fact, it felt amazing

Louis smiles brighter than the sun behind him, mainly because clouds are going over it.

“Cmon, I’ll never bother you about anything again!” He notions towards to the cup, and the straws in the cup

Aasim knows that’s a damn lie, but gives in anyways, wrapping his lips around the straw and letting Louis do the same.

It’s not entirely like the movies, not as cute and.. soft but it still made Aasims heart beat, of course Louis’ beat just a little bit faster

 

Check was paid, and Louis was trying to figure out a way to keep Aasim around longer, but it’s getting late

The two are back home, putting the food and bits of leftovers away

“It’s kinda late.”

Damnit.

“Yeah, I can walk you home!” Louis says with a thumb out towards the door

“Maybe tomorrow, gaywad I think I can handle it tonight.”

There’s been enough action for Aasim today.

“You’re so lame! I’ll grab your bag” Louis rushes upstairs to retrieve the bag, which feels even heavier now as his the high from todays events comes down

“Yeah? Well you’re gay.” Taking his bag away from the taller boy

“And what about it?”

Aasim scoffs and puts his hand on the doorknob

“Let me!” Louis puts his hand over Aasim’s and turns the knob for him, as Aasim walks out he stays in the doorway

Aasim feels something and turns back, he’s met with Louis’ enthusiastic wave matching with his smile, and returns a wave just as happy, heart definitely happy

 

 

 

 

 

It’s so hard to sleep tonight. He wants to text him

‘He’s probably sleeping’ But for him tonight feels restless. He might just have to take a walk up to a breakfast spot, and clear his mind.

 


End file.
